


Even The Homecoming Queen Cries

by Katybug1992



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: F/M, Female Mitch Marner, Hurt/Comfort, Women in the NHL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29801403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katybug1992/pseuds/Katybug1992
Summary: She was the light in the locker room. She was happy and vibrant and always there to cheer up anyone who needed cheering up.ORMitchie wears a perfect mask... Until she can't.
Relationships: Mitch Marner & Dylan Strome, Mitch Marner & Team, Mitch Marner/Connor McDavid
Comments: 2
Kudos: 64





	Even The Homecoming Queen Cries

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by "Homecoming Queen?" by Kelsea Ballerini

1\. 

Mitchie had rolled into Knights camp that year with a chip on her shoulder and something to prove - to the Leafs and to the world at large. She was not a wasted pick. She was not too small. Her gender wasn’t a hindrance. She was DESERVING of being the fourth overall pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and she was going to make anyone who said otherwise eat crow.

And she had her mask firmly in place. She was the light in the locker room. She was happy and vibrant and always there to cheer up anyone who needed cheering up. She was always there to help the newcomers get used to not just playing in Major Juniors, but on the London Knights.

She wore the C with pride - first woman in Knights history to wear it - and she brought it every night. She was the shining example to the entire roster. If they brought it every night like Mitchie did, they would be unstoppable. Her fire fueled the entire team.

And she was stunning. Always perfectly dressed on game days - not a hair out of place, make-up immaculate, smiling for the world to see.

But sometimes Chucky and Dvo noticed cracks in the mask. After a hit she didn’t like, after a pointed question from a journalist, after a chirp that went a little too far… after she had been on Twitter for too long.

When the weight of being Michelle Marner got to be too much.

But quick as they noticed, she painted over the cracks until the mask was pristine again. On those days, they rarely saw her. Her phone would ping with a text and a call would come through shortly after she replied. And she would answer with a soft “Hey, Davo” before leaving the room. 

Or they would notice how when it was time to leave after playing Erie, she clung to Strome like the prospect of leaving terrified her. Strome would tell whoever had been sent to collect her that she would be there in a minute.

One more than one occasion, Matthew or Christian waited for her. Watched as she hid from the world, face pressed against Strome’s chest with his arms wrapped securely around her. When it was time for her to leave, she pulled away and he wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead and told her to call McDavid. 

And by the time she was back on the bus, her mask was back up and she was smiling and laughing and chirping Matthew about the mangled flowers he had presented to Robbi earlier that day.

2\. 

It was no secret that Mitchie’s family life was…. Complicated. Her dad pushed her constantly - be better, be faster, be stronger. Her mom tended to brush things under the rug that she didn’t want to deal with - ignoring her husband pushing her daughter, ignoring her daughter asking her to make her husband back off, ignoring her son when he told her that her daughter needed her. Ignorance is bliss and all that. Her mom also made little comments that Mitchie was an expert at not showing the effect they had on her.

Auston had watched Mitchie deal with her parents with respect and stoicism. She nodded along to her father’s critiques. She listened patiently as her mother suggested better ways to do her hair and make-up, more flattering ways to dress and present herself. 

He watched her gaze linger on her reflection longer than it normally would after those conversations. Watched her hesitate when looking over a menu before ordering a salad and looking - for a split second - like she was going to change her mind. Watched her pick at her salad while looking longing at the bread.

It wasn’t unusual for Auston to keep her company while she got ready on the road. He got used to keeping her company while she carefully laid out whatever dress she was wearing that night before she started working on her hair, a look of extreme concentration on her face. Like she was putting on armor. 

After a loss to Edmonton, she put on her smile and answered the questions hurled at her before she hit the showers and threw on a pair of leggings and her Leafs hoodie, muttered something about seeing Connor and left.

Auston followed after, they were flying out in a couple hours after all and he knew she lost track of time when she was talking to Connor. 

He rounded the corner and saw Connor gently holding her make-up free face and heard him whisper, “Beautiful”. She huffed and Auston knew she was rolling her eyes, but she leaned forward and his arms wrapped around her as she pressed her face against his chest. And Connor hunched around her as much as he could, as if he could physically hide her from the world.

Auston couldn’t hear what they were saying, he did notice that the Oilers players trickling out of the locker room gave them a lot of space. And he felt bad when he checked his phone and saw they had five minutes until bus time.

“Mitchie,” he tried to keep his voice light as he made his presence known, “we have to be on the bus in five.”

Mitchie nodded and pulled away just little, looking up at Connor and it struck Auston just how small she was. Connor kissed her gently, laughing as she huffed and pulled him in for a deeper kiss, before unwrapping his arms from around her and stepping back.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Mitchie backed slowly away, not wanting to take her eyes off of Connor until she had to.

“Get some sleep on the plane,” Connor replied, “and get Chris to go lunch with you tomorrow, okay? He said he hasn’t gotten to see you in a while and he misses you.”

“Why are you talking to my brother?”

“He’s worried about you.”

“He doesn’t have to be.”

“But he is. So get lunch with him tomorrow.”

Mitchie nodded and kissed Connor one more time before making her way over to Auston.

About ten minutes after take off, Mitchie was asleep and her head fell to rest on Auston’s shoulder. He smiled softly and closed his own eyes.

3\. 

Willy knew something about being a ‘sunshine child’. But everything he thought he knew was thrown out the window when he met Michelle Marner. 

Mitchie never let anyone see her smile waver, even when being faced with the dumbest questions by the stupidest reporters. Even when having the world’s worst takes written about her - or even said right to her face. Even when Babcock made her his punching bag. 

And Willy knew that she wore that smile like a suit of armor. Unbreakable. She never let anyone see that they got to her. And when the room was told about The List… she kept her mask on, but Willy saw it break when she ducked out of the locker room. And he shot Babcock glare - the vets were already up in arms about how the coach thought that making her make a list was a good idea so he was too busy dealing with that to see but it was the thought that counted - and followed her out.

“Hey,” he said, slowly approaching her where she was sitting against the wall around the corner from the locker room, head in her arms.

“Hi,” she looked up for a minute, eyes swimming with tears but determined to smile through it.  
“You don’t have to do that,” Willy told her, sliding down to sit next to her, “Coach just screwed you over -”

“I’m not good enough.”

“What are you talking about?” Willy huffed out a laugh, “Mitchie you’re -”

“Don’t lie to me right now.”

Her voice was shaky and Willy tried to draw on his experience comforting his sisters.

Mitchie’s phone buzzed and she glanced down and looked up at Willy and said, “Can I just have a minute, please.”

Willy nodded and stood up as she answered the phone with a small, “Hey, Dyls.”

And Willy would be lying if he said he wasn’t listening from around the corner, because he knew that she would need someone and he knew that he was the best option to help her. And it physically pained him to force himself to stay where he was when he heard the sob escape her. And it took him swallowing his pride to admit that he wouldn’t be able to help her until after she was done talking to Strome.

So he listened to her cry, his heart breaking. Because Mitchie was special. She was so talented and she brought light into every room she walked into. And Willy obviously knew that that was a mask - he wore a similar one - but he hadn’t realized how much she was holding in. How much pain was piled up behind that mask. 

And it pained him to know that he wouldn’t be able to do anything to help her in that moment. That the two people she needed… were across the fucking country. But maybe he could help her hold it together until they got to Edmonton the next afternoon.

He was shocked to see McDavid waiting at the airport. Willy glanced over at Auston as Mitchie threw herself into McDavid’s arms and Auston gave a small nod to Willy’s unasked question. They only boarded the bus after McDavid gently took her duffle from her and lead her toward where Willy guessed he was parked.

When Willy saw her next - at Team Breakfast the following morning - she looked better than she had the last couple of days. 

4\. 

Mitchie was smarter than even she gave herself credit for - especially smarter than she gave herself credit for. But that didn’t mean she liked being called dim, or stupid, or having it implied in any way she wasn’t smart.

Zach saw her dim a little every time a passing comment was made. Heard her laughter become more forced when her intelligence was the butt of any joke. And as much fun as the team had had with the “lawyer classes” comment that season, Zach had kept it to himself that he thought she would make a great lawyer. He knew he didn’t want to be on the other end of any argument with her - although watching Auston squirm under her withering gaze and pointed remarks was very entertaining and she really was the best option when Auston’s head started getting a little too big because she knew every embarrassing thing he had ever done - she became fast friends with his sisters - and she was not afraid to hold all of it over his head. Also, Auston hated when she was mad at him so he was quick to make any adjustments.

Still…

Zach didn’t understand how he seemed to be the only one who noticed how smart she was. A person didn’t have the hockey IQ she had and have nothing in their head. Alexandria picked up on it pretty quickly when she got to Toronto, but she also went to Harvard so - Smart Recognizes Smart.

They were in New York when Zach noticed her slip out of the hotel on their day off - while Auston was distracted by the wrestling match Willy and Kappy were engaged in IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DINING ROOM. Zach liked to pretend he didn’t know them and he pitied Alexandria - who was stuck there because Willy was fighting for her praise or something (Zach hadn’t been paying attention, one minute Willy was flirting with her and then next he was pouncing on Kappy because the Fin had made a comment about Alexandria being out of his league, it was all too much for 8:30 in the morning and Alexandria looked like she very much agreed with that thought and Zach felt a little guilty leaving her there with just Mo).

“Hey,” he greeted as he jogged after her.

“Hey,” Mitchie replied, hiding the surprise that crossed her face quickly.

“Where are we heading?” 

“You mean you don’t want to watch Wild Bill woo the Fair Lady Alexandria?”

Zach laughed at that and Mitchie looked pleased with herself, the way she always did when she made someone laugh. He looped his arm through hers and said, “I don’t think Kerf wants to witness it herself.”

Mitchie laughed and leaned against Zach’s side as they walked.

“So, where are we hiding from the Courtship Of Kerf drama?”

“There’s a Degas exhibit at the Met. Dylan told me about it. He saw something advertising it when they were here the other week.”

“Degas… is he the still lifes?”

“He’s most well known for the ballerinas,” Mitchie kept her gaze forward as she said, “I used to take dance, you know? Eventually it had to go, hockey took precedent. But I was good. I was really good.”

“I’m sure you were,” Zach replied honestly, “I can’t imagine you being bad at anything.”

“I wasn’t good at school,” Mitchie replied.

“You were offered a full scholarship to MichU.”

“For my hockey.”

“And for academics.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Mitchie.”

“We have to catch the subway, come on.”

And Zach let her drop the subject, because asking Mitchie to admit anything positive about herself was a struggle on a good day. 

He wasn’t surprised as she guided them to the museum like she had been riding the subway her whole life. He let her chatter about her latest phone date with Connor - apparently they were struggling to make it through Game of Thrones because one of them always fell asleep. He told her about his own date night, taking his wife out to the new restaurant JT had told him about and then a movie. They talked about Willy’s chances of winning over Alexandria - Mitchie said that if he just asked her out, if he would just be himself, she would say yes but Zach had his doubts.

“They don’t have anything in common,” Zach responded, “except hockey.”

“Alexandria isn’t looking for someone like her. If she wanted someone on the same intellectual level, on the same cultural plane, she would be dating another Ivy Alum. She likes him, she thinks he’s cute. But she wants him to just be himself.”

“You gonna tell him that?”

“I’ve tried. I know Mo’s tried. He’ll figure it out.”

Mitchie stopped by the kiosk and picked up a map of the museum and off they went.

They made their way through the museum and to the hall the Degas exhibit was set up in.

“You know,” Mitchie’s voice was soft as she looked up at one of the paintings, “when my dad told me I had to quit Ballet…. I refused to leave my room for, like, a day. I cried so much when I had to tell my instructor. My dad was pretty insistent that I wouldn’t have time for both. My mom had this great talent of being able to tune out the negative so I just had Chris in my corner. And for my birthday that year, he saved up all his spare change and rented out a small studio for me. So I could dance.”

“Why you and Aus did the ballet thing -”

“It was one of the highlights of my life,” Mitchie smiled over at him, “Growing up, I dreamed of playing in a Leafs jersey and of performing on that stage. Connor…. He tries to take me to see a performance when he can. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. But, it’s the thought that counts. It’s… it’s a part of me that only he knows. And I guess now you do, too.”

Zach didn’t rush her through the exhibit. He stood there and listened to her thoughts on the paintings, on ballet, on everything that came to mind. 

After they finished the exhibit - and explored every inch of the Met - they grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant close to the subway stop and then headed back to the hotel.

“Where were you guys?” Kappy asked as they entered the team lounge - where Alexandria and Willy were both absent from.

“We tried going to Coney Island but got lost,” Mitchie replied, ignoring the subtle look Zach gave her. After all, the guys had a certain image of her and she wasn’t going to burst their bubbles.

But then, later that night, Zach walked past the little balcony Mitchie had snuck off to to call Connor and heard her gushing about the museum, all the small nuances of the paintings and how perfectly they captured the art of Ballet. He smiled to himself as he backed away from the door, resigning himself to watching Willy try to impress Alexandria with his CHEL skills. It wasn’t going to be pretty but he could at least make sure no one left and intruded on Mitchie’s phone call.

5\. 

Robbi enjoyed the time she got to spend with Mitchie. In London, Mitchie had instilled weekly Girls’ Nights, where none of their teammates were allowed to so much as text them. As Matty learned the hard way when he texted Robbi while they were watching The Notebook and in return got way too much detail about Mitchie’s sex life with McJesus - which was funnier looking back considering Matthew’s opinion of McDavid had evolved more into a light hatred than the indifference it had been before he was drafted by the Flames.

So, no one bothered them because they really didn’t want to hear about how good McDavid was with his mouth. Robbi did get stuck hearing about it, though, because Girl Talk. But she did get Mitchie back for it when she and Matty got together - Mitchie had led the team in the tally of who walked in on them most.

And Mitchie had kept up the tradition when they were both in the Show - Robbi following her lead a couple years later. If they had a night off while the other was in town, it was Girls Night. 

Robbi had promised to be back by Team Breakfast and gave O’Ry the address since Jaden clearly wanted to know for her own peace of mind but wasn’t going to outright ask because she was under the assumption that she wasn’t Team Mom - Schenner had a lovely bruise forming on his arm from where he jokingly called her ‘Mom’ and she punched him (short person, not a lot of space for her anger and Schenner really should know better considering how long he had known her).

She got to Mitchie’s place and laughed as the door flung open before she could even knock.

“It’s good to you, kid,” Mitchie grinned, hugging Robbi tightly.

“I’m two years younger than you,” Robbi grumbled into Mitchie’s shoulder, but still returned the hug just as tightly. She had missed Mitchie.

Jaden was great support, a solid role model for Robbi and had helped her so much to adjusting to being a woman in the NHL. But she was also… Robbi sometimes needed to remind herself that Jaden was a real person.

There were actually a lot of similarities between Mitchie and Jaden when Robbi thought about it. First and foremost their masks. 

Jaden’s had to be pried off - usually by Schenner or Vladi, although if Robbi saw what she thought she saw Toews was on that list and Robbi very much did not want to think about that.

Mitchie’s was delicate. She was so used to wearing it but she wasn’t jaded enough to harden it into place completely. Robbi had seen little cracks form over the years that Mitchie never got around to plastering over. And Robbie thought that it was a good thing. 

It was a good thing that Mitchie’s people could remove it with ease. She needed people around her that she didn’t have to be anything but her rawest self. And maybe Matthews was close to making that list - and Robbi really hoped he was, she needed someone in Toronto - but Mitchie’s people had been just McDavid and Strome for so long. Robbi sometimes thinks that Mitchie forgets that she has other people in her corner.

“I made an avocado face mask,” Mitchie grinned, lifting up the bowl of green mush, “And if that doesn’t work, I’m sure we can turn it into guac.”

Robbie laughed but let Mitchie apply the gunk to her face. And then Mitchie flinched when her phone chimed.

“What’s that about?” Robbi asked gently.

“What’s what about?” Mitchie tried to deflect.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Robbi tried her best to glare - which wasn’t remotely threatening when she DIDN’T have smashed avocado on her face.

“Just… some guy on Instagram,” Mitchie responded, reaching for her phone and turning it off, “He keeps… and I keep blocking him but somehow… Anyway, I’m dealing with it.”

“If you don’t want to talk to me about it, at least tell me you’re talking to someone? Connor or -”

“Dylan,” Mitchie replied, “Dylan knows about it and has been sworn to secrecy. If Connor knew… Anyway, Dylan knows.”

“You can talk to me about it,” Robby responded, taking the bowl of gunk from Mitchie and starting to apply it to the older woman’s face.

“You wouldn’t -”

“Understand?” Robbi let out a bitter laugh, “Mitchie, on top of being a women in the NHL, my boyfriend is a player that whether they like him or not, they come after me. Whether it’s girls who want to tear me down because they think it’ll make Matty magically single or willing to cheat or men who think that putting me down is the best way to get under his skin.”

“Honey,” Mitchie laughed, “it is. The easiest way to get Chucky to do something stupid is mention you.”

“My point is, I get mentions and comments that are terrifying and gross and feel like they don’t stop. And you can talk to me. If Dylan stops being helpful.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You won’t,” Robbi laughed, “but I’m in your corner. Always. We gotta stick together, right?”

“If it wouldn’t get this gunk all up in your hair, I would hug you so hard right now.”

Robbi laughed and settled back against the couch as Mitchie held up two dvds, “Mean Girls or Heathers?”

“Heathers,” both girls said in unison before laughing.

“I know you got my back,” Mitchie whispered as the dvd menu came up, “I just sometimes forget that there are people who KNOW me, you know? Who I don’t have to be anyone but me around.”

“I know,” Robbi replied.

Mitchie smiled softly and settled in.

+1. 

There had been an accident. Mitchie didn’t hear much beyond the words “Chris” and “hospital”. And she felt something in her snap. She let out a sob, completely forgetting that she was in the middle of the Leafs locker room.

Auston gently took her phone and got the necessary information before ushering her out to his car.

And she didn’t say anything the entire drive to the hospital, just sat there completely shut down. And remained rooted to her seat when Auston threw the car in park.

“You wanna go in?” Auston asked softly.

Mitchie shook her head, her voice cracking as she said, “I can’t.”

“Mitchie -”

“Chris has always been my pillar. He’s always been… And I can’t…. I don’t know what I’d do -”

“Mitchie,” Auston pulled her attention to himself, “you’ll rely on your teammates to help you through this. We have you. Okay?”

And she finally let herself break apart, letting Auston hug her as best he could in the car.

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered.

“How do you know?” 

“Because…. I just do.” 

+

The hours wore by and various Leafs came in and out of the room Chris was in, unconscious and hooked up to a ventilator. The doctor had said that he would be most likely be okay and Mitchie hadn’t left the rather uncomfortable chair at his bedside.

At hour three, Willy ran to IKEA to get a more comfortable chair for her just so he could feel like he was helping. He was thankful that it was a private room and the nurse did nothing but give him an odd look when he and JT started putting the chair together.

She fell asleep in that new chair shortly after Mo nudged her into it. Zach took up post in the old chair next to her, and her head had lulled over onto his shoulder and he had looped an arm around her.

At hour five, she stirred away at a knock on the doorframe.

“We got here as soon as we could,” Dylan stepped into the room and squatted down in front of, pushing her hair back out of her face, he asked, “How you holding up, Tiny Dancer?”

“Doctor said they want to keep him sedated a little longer, but he should be okay.” Mitchie replied.

“You didn’t answer the question, Michelle,” Connor replied, resting his forehead against hers, “How are you holding up?”

“I’m not,” Mitchie replied, voice breaking, “but the guys have been great.”

“We’ll head out,” Auston spoke up, knowing from experience that she only really wanted Dylan and Connor to see her like this.

“You guys can stay,” she replied, “Been here all day, right? I mean, you saw me at… well, this… and didn’t go running.”

“We’re always here for you, Marns,” JT responded, “Anything you need.”

“Clearly,” Mitchie huffed out a laugh and gestured at the chair, “I mean, you put together IKEA furniture with William Nylander for me.”

Willy huffed and draped himself over her back, hugging her as he said, “You need to eat. And I’m not letting you eat hospital food. Any preferences?”

“Something unhealthy and greasy?”

“Your wish is my command.”

Mitchie shook her head with a smile as Willy left.

Another couple hours passed, Zach and Auston had fallen asleep on the couch they had dragged into the room, JT and Mo had left for the night with the promise to check in, Willy and Alexandria - who he had apparently picked up on his way to get food - were curled up together on the empty bed, Dylan was passed out sprawled out on the uncomfortable chair, and Connor had fallen asleep a couple hours after maneuvering Mitchie into his lap. 

She sat, there slowly waking up and playing with Connor’s hair in the process, until there was a quiet laugh and a “Hey, Squirt.”

“Chris,” she gasped, standing up and tripping slightly in her haste to get to the bed.

“Still figuring out your legs, huh?” he asked.

“Don’t try to make me laugh,” she replied, trying to school her features, “you scared me.”

“I’m sorry,” Chris replied, taking her hand, “Doc says I’m okay.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Just an hour. You were out cold, slept through all the nurses coming in.”

“What would I have done with you?”

Her voice cracked and Chris shuffled on the bed, patting the open spot next to him. When she was curled against his side, he said, “You would have been okay. I know you would have. Look at the support system around you.”

“Christopher.”

“I’m not going anywhere for a long time, Squirt,” Chris kissed her forehead, “I couldn’t leave you alone with our parents.”

Mitchie’s laugh came out more watery than than she had wanted it to and she pressed her face into his side.


End file.
